I thought the Old Barack Obama's stance on abortion was fine--the choice lies primarily with the woman. Now, in this inexplicable drive to allay conservative Christians, the New Barack Obama gets involved in the particulars:
"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says "mental distress" should not qualify as a justification for late-term abortions, a key distinction not embraced by many supporters of abortion rights.
In an interview this week with "Relevant," a Christian magazine, Obama said prohibitions on late-term abortions must contain "a strict, well defined exception for the health of the mother."
Obama then added: "Now, I don't think that 'mental distress' qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term."
Last year, after the Supreme Court upheld a federal ban on late-term abortions, Obama said he "strongly disagreed" with the ruling because it "dramatically departs form previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women."
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_Mental_distress_cant_justify_late_0704.html
First of all, I'd like to know if Obama has even any anecdotal information on late-term abortions done for mental distress. I personally do not have any myself. First of all, I think the incidence of late-term abortions is hyped. I've known many women who have had abortions, none of them late-term, one was second trimester due to constant debilitating sickness during the pregnancy. And btw, that woman was one who declared she would never have an abortion.
